While talks are currently being held with NFF in a bid to get Vincent Enyeama to rejoin the team, the Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has opened up about the rift in detail in this interview.

He stated:

Its puzzling really because it because to say the least I am very hurt, I am very disappointed at the character assassination that Vincent has taken on my personality as regards this issue. If you want to retire, retire. You don’t have to drag and lie and insult somebody who did nothing. I will take you down to when this thing. We called everybody to camp We invited 24 players and most of the players, in fact even Mikel came in on Sunday Night. He was supposed to be here on Monday which was very good. and most of the players came in on Monday but I knew Vincent had gone for the burial ceremony of his mum, that he might come in late.

He came into camp on Tuesday afternoon by 5.20 or 5.30, just as the training was almost over he drove in from the airport and there are even pictures that we snapped of me hugging him because I was happy to see him back in camp. But when we trained that Tuesday afternoon, I wasn’t happy with the physical involvement and input of my players so we had dinner and I spoke to the players and made it clear to them that I wasn’t happy and that I needed an improvement for us to play more as a team and that we deserved better and I could see the body language of the players that they were very receptive and were conscious of what it was. Only for me at the end of my speech for me to go to my seat to sit down, was for Vincent to stand up to say he wanted to say something and I told him, look this is not the time to say anything because we just had a discussion about how to improve, we will discuss personal issues after. He said no he wanted to say something and I refused and said No i don’t want you to say anything. Please sit down, later you can come to me, we could sought whatever it is out. He said No and he was adamant he wanted to say something. So I told him with all dues respect, this is the Super Eagles and I am the coach. We are not going to have two coaches. I decide who talks and when to talk at a meeting and at the moment I am telling you no. If you refuse to do what I am saying then it is better you go out. He was still adamant and trying to raise his voice and then I said it is either you go out or we leave the room for you or I will get you to be taken out because you are stopping the team from even having dinner and eventually his team mates got up and took him out and said hey come off it Vincent. At one point I told him, its either you stop this now or you can go back home and when he continued I gave him a handshake and told him Now you can go home. I have released you. You just came in, you have not even trained and you are already looking for an argument or problem and so I told him go home. because he had not even had any training session. So I went to my room and 5 of his colleagues Mikel, Emenike, Musa Onazi and Echejile, came to me and said coach we have spoken to him and he is aware. We know him sometimes he talks before he thinking. I said okay he can stay, we are trying to build a team, you can sty. The next morning he came, everything was settled, we ate breakfast. As we were about to go for training, I received a message from back home where Vincent had insinuated publicly that I had insulted the memory of his mother when I spoke to the team and this was really hurtful and a blatant lie and I find it quite, with all due respect, insane because you can’t make an accusation, a false accusation when there are so many witnesses as much as 19 players, 3 other officials and there was no reason to talk about your mum because you were just coming into camp. There was nothing to talk about you. So to now try to make a character assassination and try to like make the people sympathize with the fact that he was mistreated against his mum. He was the captain of this team. When we played in Tanzania, I called the team administrator, Dayo, and we had arranged for the team to wear a black band and to have one minute of silence before we play in Tanzania in honor of Vincent’s dead mum. The only reason why that was not done was because Dayo came back and said they refused us because we had to have a request for it. CAF made out and the time was too short. So how would a man that is sensitive enough to try to honor Vincent Enyeama’s mum now try to insult his mum

Listen, before I was appointed coach of Super Eagles, Vincent Enyeama had a big rift with the NFF concerning the statements he made concerning the pitch in Kaduna. I was not yet a coach. I was in Nigeria and I stood up for Vincent because I felt that he shouldn’t be castigated for representing his team mates.

When I was appointed as Chief coach of Super Eagles, the first thing I did was to pick up my car very early in the morning, drove and spent a whole day watching Vincent train, took him to lunch which I paid for. I had lunch with him to intimate him with my plans to build the team with him as captain of the team. When I spoke to him, I spoke to him about the tactical things we wanted to change the policy changes we wanted to make like you do with a captain. When I spoke to him then, he made one statement. He was talking about retiring in a year or two years time and I told him, Vincent, I am trying to build a team till 2018. I don’t need a captain who is thinking of retiring or who is planning for after football while we were preparing and nobody does that in football. You wait till your last game or your last match then you announce retirement. Let this be out of the agenda.

Two weeks ago to this time, Vincent called me to discuss about the funeral arrangements for the Mum and I told him its saddening what has happened to you but I can’t be available because of some other reasons but I have spoken to the NFF president and he was going with a delegation. He said he will be there so we will be represented and while we were having this discussion he was talking again about retirement. That was when I decided to pick Ahmed Musa as captain because I felt then that he is probably not into it anymore. Personally I don’t know Vincent so to carry a grudge against a person that i don’t know is…

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If he wanted to say something, why didn’t you allow him…why stifle and try to humiliate him? What if he what he wanted to say was very important to be said in the presence of all the players as the then captain? Sunday Oliseh attitude doesn’t reflect that of a person who has good leadership qualities.

I believe oliseh, both men needed a one on one discussion and not during that meeting. Vincent was unprofessional, mt coach is d MD of the team and he calls the shots not u mr captain. He facilitated the mtg and was allowed to decline ur speech request. Smh!!

Why run to social media to get cheap points from d public??? Awww eveeybody loves vincent and he can do no wrong

Sunday Oliseh are you for real? You sound quite arrogant! For the fact that you’re coach no member of your team can air an opinion unless you say so? I wasn’t there so I’m not siding anyone but you already indicted yourself by some statements herein. Anyhooo, from the dismal performance of your team at the Congo friendly match, maybe we should be worried. Since you became coach of the Super Eagles, it’s been drama all the way. Issorai, we’re watching.

He does not just sound arrogant, he is arrogant. I heard him speak the day after this incident on Brilla FM and it dawned on me that we are dealing with an aloof fellow. I have never cared much for Nigerian national teams as the lack of comptetnt administration makes the whole exercise laugable, however I paid a little attention to this saga and deduced that Oliseh has issues. Having said that, Enyeama is a drama queen. I will not be shocked if he returns. The rise of attention seeking disorder in this media driven generation should worry psychiatrists the world over.

“We just had a meeting. We will discuss personal Issues after* Sunday my beloved brother.We all know that both you and Enyeama are ” Ogbanjes” like me but Are you now also a marabout from Cote de viore ? If you are not how did you know what Vincent wanted to say is personal? . Sunday ; was d meeting with Deaf and dumbs ? If not how can you call a one sided talk from only you a meeting ? Tell us that because you did not want him as captain . it was not him you expected to respond to issues you raised . Tell us you were unsecured with him in camp simple and let’s close this case and think about how not to be humiliated and told Shut up by Cameroun. .in our coming friendly . Opinion though.

Chai!!! See BS! Oga Oliseh like for real? He’s a GROWN man & can choose where & when he want to speak. He drove from the airport n u really think what he’s got to say isn’t important right away for U to listen? Smh this is like me listening to my 1st & 3rd grader cousins fight over a Doll. U went as far as explaining how u paid for lunch that U ( Oliseh) invited him for . just because U are the Coach doesn’t give u d right to be disrespectful. U know goddamm well u could have avoided this drama b offering him a friendly heart & a listening ears. It could ve been an urgent/emergency crises. Save yourannoying sermon for the birds abeg #NOTNEEDED#

Sunday Oliseh, you need re-trading in people management . How could you have denied a full grown adult an opportunity to air his views. Chaiii more trouble is brewing if this your leadership style is not corrected.

Suunnndei, so soft spoken yet, lies tumble out of your mouth so easily? How do you know what he wanted to say if you did not give him a chance to speak. For crying out loud these are grown men and you order him to seat down and keep quiet? Haba! You must go learn some relationship management and acquire serious leadership skills.

Sunday oliseh how can you talk in a meeting and your captain wants ti talk and you said no,for what.Do you know the importance of communication in an organisation?pls caution your self and appologise to him

We are all talking about communication skills, leadership example – as it affects the coach , What about anger management, humility and respect for authorities – as it affects the other party? Most of us here will not accept insubordination in the same circumstance especially if it’s in the presence of other subordinates. I never took sides in this matter to be able to look at the big picture. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Another team mate in the same shoe might have simply taken his sit and later talk to the coach, instead of disobeying the coach and raising his voice against him before other team members – a captain should also be a good example. If he had managed his emotions well on announcement of a new captain, am sure we wouldn’t have heard all this drama. This is my view, the same way I will not defend the loving wife who stabbed her husband to death after a quarrel between them, or poored acid or boiling water on him etc. Yes, the husband might have provoked her – by his words or actions, but does that also justify her actions. No. This two men can resolve issues and eventually work towards greatness. I wish them well in this direction – harmony and greatness.

There are two issues here. A) The coach should have had a grown up conversation with the team captain that he wants to go in another direction with regards to who his captain is. That is the right and matured thing to do. B) Vincent should have sat his behind down the moment the coach said to do that.

I’ve read most of the comments here and its evident that a lot of people know nothing about how a football dressing room works. It is not a DEMOCRACY. Just imagine Vincent insisting he wants to talk and Ferguson or Mourinho tells him to sit down. He would be out of the team before you say Jack Robinson. At the end of the day, two wrongs don’t make a right. I blame both parties but most blame in my opinion goes to Vincent. You don’t ever stand up to your coach in front of HIS team. Unless you are a mix between Ronaldo, Messi, Pele and Maradona, you’ll loose.

Just going by each party’s account of what happened, I can tell that Oliseh is not being truthful, and this is unfortunate. I see immaturity, insecurity, and dictatorship all written over Oliseh’s explanations. This is exactly why black coaches don’t get the chance to coach in Europe, and we cry racism. Enyeama has earned the right to talk in these meetings first as a veteran player, and most importantly as a captain or former captain depending on how Oliseh wishes to label Enyeama. I’m not hearing from Oliseh that Enyeama was being disruptive or disrespectful. The man raised his hand to speak and you treated him like a boy. There is a reason why the U.S. of A is leading the world…. its freedom of speech. Oliseh you may have lost an opportunity to learn something from Enyeama that would have helped you as a coach and as a person. You blew it, and now Nigerians are going to watch you as a hawk would a prey. Players make coaches, not the other way round. Coaching class 101.

First things first, as a coach, you are the leader of the team. From my understanding, Oliseh, as coach, was providing a post-analysis of the training session, and what his expectations were of the team; this is no place for a player or staff member to make counter-statements or counter-arguments, and for the fact that Enyeama stood up to attempt to make such a statement is an affront to the coach.

“You cannot have two head-coaches in a team”

My opinion, if Enyeama has retired, let him retire, and stop making noise.

” …for the team to wear a black band and to have one minute of silence before we play in Tanzania in honor of Vincent’s dead mum” ”Dead Mum”??? Well mayb u meant no harm…but damn! Who talks like this?? Anyway when u sabi talk sey pay for food….kai, u be bush man period!

Rubbish when a coach says dnt talk u ve to keep silent and obey.enough of this mumu act by enyeama, u serve the nation for 13years was it for free abi na wetin …..can u do this in ur club side or can u try this with mourinho the coach dictate who he want as the skipo chikena .nobody is bigger than his coach.